sneider



(No Model.) l 3 sheets-sheet 2.. C. E. SNEIDBR. BRBEGH LOADING GUN.

No. 435,329. Patented Aug. 26, 1890.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. C. E. SNEIDER.

BRBEGH LOADING GUN.

Patented Aug. Z6, 1890.

'rens nu., nuovo-umu., wAsumurnN n c 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. SNEIDER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE SNEIDER ARMS COMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY, OF SAME PLACE.

BREECH-LOADING GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,329, dated August 26, 1890.

Application filed May 12x 1890. Serial No. 351,500. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES EDWARD SNEIDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Magazine Fire-Arms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the breech-loading magazine re-arm constituting thesubject-matter of Letters Patent No. 417,594, issued to me December 17, 1889.

The objects of the. present invention are to improve the efciencyof the breech mechanism; to render thejire-arm accurate and reliable under all circumstances; to insure correct loading when rapid firing is desired; to better adapt the fire-arm for use by the military or army; to provide means whereby the recoil of the breech-block at the instant of firing is rendered impossible by the action of the hammer-releasing trigger on the cookinglever; to provide a novel cartridge inserterejector for accurately guiding and laterally moving the cartridge into alignment with the breech-block; to constructthe cartridge inserter-ejector and the breech-block in such manner that the latter operates to dog the cartridges in the magazine when the hammer has been cocked and the gun is prepared for ring, and iinally to so construct the breechblock that the cartridge from the magazine bears against and follows a projecting part of the breech-block as the lattermoves rearward to load the fire-arm, while such projecting part bridges the rear end ot the magazine when the breech-block is in its normal or forward position.

To accomplish all these objects my invention involves the features of construction, the arrangement or combination of devices, and the principles of operation hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a right-hand side elevation of a breech-loadin g magazine fire-arm embodying the improvements. Fig. 2 is a lett-hand side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line a: a2, Fig. 1, on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the breech with the side wall or face-plate omitted, and showing the hammer cocked and the hammer-cooking lever held back as it would appear prior to being released for its automatic return movement. Fig. 5 is a similar viewshowing the hammer-releasing trigger held back as when the gun is fired. Fig. 6 is a similar view, the breech-block being omitted, the hammercocked, and the hammer-cocking lever in its normal position. Fig. 7 is a detail transverse sectionalview of the breech-frame, showing the bifuroated cartridge inserter-ejector. spective view showing the breech-block and the cartridge inserter-ejector.

In order to enable those skilled in the 'art to make and use my invention,l will now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings, whereind v The numeral 1 indicates the metallic breechframe of the tire-arm; 2, the barrel, and 3 the tubular cartridge-magazine extending longitudinally along the barrel parallel thereto, and having its rear open end abutting against a lateral hollow enlargement 4 of the breechframe.

The barrel is detachably secured to the breech-frame by a locking,r device, so that the barrel, carrying with it the magazine, can be quickly and conveniently removed and replaced. The magazine is pivoted at or near its front end to the barrel, and is furnished with a longitudinal slot for inspecting its interior, and with an internal spring acting on a plunger or follower to feed the cartridges rearward, as in Letters Patent No. 422,846, issued to me March 4, 1890.

The hammer 8 is shown exposed, but ob- Fig. 8 is a detail perviously can be concealed by omitting its l thumb-piece, and it is mounted on a studbearing or journal 9, and is acted on by one arm of the spring 10, which acts by its other arm on the hammer-releasing trigger 12, which is mounted on a stud-bearing or journal 11.

- The lever 13 for operating the breech-block and cooking the hammeris mounted on a studbearing or journal 14, and is provided at its upper edge with a cam-lug 15,a rearward toe 16, acting on a projection 17 of the hammer, and a forward hook 18, loosely engaging the arm. 19 of the lever 20, that serves to reciprocate the breech-block 21 and to lock it against recoil when the gun is fired.

IOO

The duplex mainspring 22 in this improvement is detachably seated in a cavity 23 in the breech-frame, and one arm rests against the bottom wall thereof, while the other and longer arm is provided at its extremity with a hook 24, which is in detachable hooked engagement with a lateral pin 25, formed with or attached to the cooking-lever on its forward hook lS or other point in advance of the stud-bearing or journal 14. By a direct connection of the spring with the cooking-lever, as described, the mechanism is more prompt in action, while it is more simple7 durable, and economical than the construction exhibited in my Letters Patent No. 417,594.

The upper end of the locking-lever enters avnotch 26 in the under side of the breechblock to reciprocate the same, the front wall of the notch being inclined, as at 27, and acting as a shoulder to abut the lever when the breech-block is in position for tiring, thereby preventing it from recoiling. The lockinglever is held or locked against any rearward movement, independent of movement of the hammer-cooking lever, by reason of the arm 19 resting against the front or breast of the said trigger, as shown in Fig. 4. The lockinglever is sufficient to prevent recoil of the breech-block in a small-caliber or a sporting tire-arm; but to avoid the possibilityT of recoil in a large-caliber or military gun I provide means whereby the hammer-releasing lever acts to lock the cooking-trigger immovable. at the instant of firing. To effect this in the most simple manner I form or otherwise provide the forward part of the hammer-releasing trigger l2 with a projecting finger 5, to abut a tongue-piece 6 or other rear part of the cooking-lever, as in Fig. 5, when the hammer-releasing trigger is retracted to tire the charge. The tongue-piece 6 on the cookinglever is adapted to pass by the finger 5 on the hammer-releasing trigger when the cookinglever is retracted, as in Fig. 4. When the tire-arm is loaded and the hammer is cocked preparatory to firing, the finger and the tongue-piece stand in the proximate position in Fig. 6 in such manner that the retraction of the hammer-releasing trigger promptly throws the finger 5 downward against the rear extremity of the tongue-piece, thereby rendering it impossible for the cooking-lever to move rearward. inasmuch as the breechblock cannot recoil independent of any movement of the cooking-lever, it will be obvious that recoil of the breech-block at the instant of tiring is impossible. This construction and mode of operation are particularly designed for large-caliber or military or army guns, but is useful in sporting-rides.

The breech-block 2l moves lengthwise in rectilinear guideways on the breech-frame in a line parallel with the axis of the gun-barrel, and a spring tiring-pin lis carried by and moves on the breech-block, its position being such that it will be driven forward by the hammer when the latter is released by the hammer-releasing trigger, thereby firing the cartridge. The breech-block at its forward end is provided with an upper and a lower hooked catch for engaging opposite side portions of the flanged base of a cartridge-shell. These catches extend longitudinally from the breech-block, and the construction and arrangement are such that a cartridge moved sidewise into the breech-frame when the breech-block is retracted will interlock by its iian ged base with the hooked catches, whereby the reciprocating movement of the breech-block will reciprocate the cartridge- -shell to push the cartridge into the gun-barrel and after firing to extract the empty shell from the barrel and move it back into position to be ejected sidewise when a fresh cartridge is inserted and engaged with the breechblock. The uppermost hooked catch of the breech-block is centrally recessed to receive the hooked end of a spring-plate 29, as best shown in Fig.`= 8, which spring exerts a slight pressure on the rim of the cartridge and operates as a friction device to stop and hold the cartridge in proper alignment with the bore" of the rifle-barrel. This center-spring on the breech-block is desirable, as it contributes to theaccuracy of the tire-arm as regards loading, for it operates to stop the lateral movement of the cartridge at t-he proper point.

The sidewall of the breech-frame at the inner portion of the lateral hollow enlargement 4 is provided with a transverse cartridge-receiving orifice 30, and the opposite side wall is provided with a transverse shell discharging or ejecting orifice 3l. These orifices are in line, one directly opposite the other, so that a fresh cartridge inserted llaterally through the receiving-orifice 30 by an inserter-ejector, hereinafter described, will disengage the empty shell held by the hooked catches of the breech-block and eject such shell sidewise through the discharging or ejecting orifice.

The cartridge inserter-ejector 32 acts to insert a cartridge into the breech-frame and to eject the empty shell, and, as shown, it is composed of a bifurcated head on a bell-crank or elbow-lever 33, pivoted at 34, and having its other arm 35 extending through a slot in the breech-frame into the path of the hooked or shouldered end of a slide-arm 37, which is pivot-ally connected with the hammer 8 in such manner that when the latter is cocked the slide-arm is carried backward, its hook or shoulder acts on the arm 35, and the inserterejector 32 is thrown inward, so that va cartridge pressed from the magazine into the hollow enlargement 4, in coincidence with the receiving-orifice 30, is inserted into the breechframe and engaged with the hooked catches of the breech-block. If a cartridge has been previously fired, the inserted cartridge, under the infiuence of the inserter-ejector, will eject the empty shell through the discharging or ejecting orifice 3l. The normal position of IOO IIO

the inserter-ejector is such that itspfront inner edge projects into theline of the cartridges in the magazine. The bell-crank is acted on by a spiral or other spring 39, between its pivot 34 and the inserter-ejector, which spring tends to throw the latter outward, but is prevented from so doing until a certain time by the arm 35 abutting a lug 40 on an oscillatory plate 4l eccentrically pivoted to the breechframe at 42. While the cooking-lever is at rest its cam-lug 15 presses on'the lower edge of the oscillatory plate 4l in front of the pivot 42 and moves the lug 40 rearward; thus cans-- ing the arm 35 to be held slightly back and the inserter-ejector to be held in its innermost position against the tension of the spring 39 of the bell-crank 33. To relieve the inserter-ejector from such action of the lug 40 by the initial rearward movement of the cocking-lever 13, the cam-lug l5 is moved away from contact with the plate 4l the instant the cooking lever com mcnces such rearward movement, thereby freeing the arm35 from the restraint of the plate 4l and permitting the spring 39 to throw the inserter-ejector outward from the line of the rear cartridge in the magazine, so that said cartridge is then pressed back into the hollow enlargement 4 in coincidence with the receiving-orifice 30 in the side wall of the breech-frame. The cocking-lever, continuing its rearward movement, causes the locking-lever 2O to swing back and retract the breech-block, simultaneously with which the ham mer is cocked and its slide-arm 37 drawn back, so that its hook or shoulder 43 strikes the arm 35 of the bell-crank 33 and throws the inserter-ejector 32 suddenly inward, thereby insertingafresh cartridge into engagement with the hooked catches of the breech-block and ej ecting the empty shell of a previously-iired cartridge through the discharging or ejecting oriiice 3l. The cookinglever being released from the pressure of the finger, the spring 22, acting directly on the cocking-lever, throws the latter to its normal position and restores the locking-arm 2O and the breech-block 28 to the normal position, as in Fig. 5. At the same time the cam-lug l5, acting on the plate 4l, moves the lug 40 rearward into correct position to again hold the bifurcated head of the inserter-ejector in its innermost-position but this cannot occur until the hammer is lowered, for when the hammer is cocked the slide-arm 37 so holds the bell-crank 33 that the inserter-ejector is retained at the limit of its inward movement, in which position it fills or nearly fills the cartridge-receiving orilice 30. The inserter-ejector is bifurcated to form the two distinct branches 32a, separated by a channel, such branches serving to rest against the cartridge at points above and below its median line. This construction affords an accurate seat to guide the cartridge rearward, and the division of the inserter-ejector into two branches reduces friction and materially contributes to the accuracy and ethciency of the loading mechanism. The forward end of the breech-block is formed or otherwise provided at one side with a lateral flattened arm or stud 38, as in Figs. 3 and 8,.

by which the cartridge moves laterally into.

the breech-frame, is of less width than the diameter of the-caitridge-ri rn, and hence the cartridge-rim cannot pass into the breechframe until it coincides .with notches 30, formed in the edges of the orifice or opening 30. The arm or stud 38isbeveled rearwardly to afford a square abutment for the base of the cartridgevhen the latter moves back in an oblique direction, as will be understood from Fig. 3. This oblique line of motion arises from the oblique position ot the bifurcated inserter-ejector when the breech-block is being retracted, and hence the cartridge-rim is placed in position to promptly enter the notches 30l when the inserter-ejector lnoves inward to insert the cartridgeinto the breechframe. The several parts are so relatively arranged and the congruity of action is such that rapid loading and firing can be effected in the most accurate manner and the reliability and etticienoy of the fire-arm are materially increased.

As shown in Fig. 2, the fore-arm or section of the gunstock, which is carried by the detachable barrel, is provided, by boring or drilling, with a longitudinal orifice 44 to contain afgun-swab or cleaning-instrument 45 for cleaning the barrel when occasion demands. The swab or cleaning-instrument is provided with a projecting knob or handle 46, adapted to enter a socket 47 in the end of the breechframe. The swab or cleaner is thus concealed and guarded from accidental displacement or loss, while on detaching the barrel the swab or cleaner is in the most convenient position to be readily removed and used for cleaning purposes. The knob or handle 46 is detachably engaged with a screw-socket in the end of the swab o1' cleaner, and therefore by removing the knob or handle a rod or wire can be attached to the swab or cleaner for passing the latter through the barrel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. The combination, with a hammer, a breech-block, and a lever connected with and operating to retract the breech-block, of a hammer-releasing trigger which abuts and locks the lever at the time of firing to prevent recoil of the breech-block, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a hammer, a breech-block, and a cooking-lever connected with and operating to retract the breechblock and cock the hammer, of a hammerreleasing trigger having aiinger which abuts IOO IOS

IIO

and' locks the cocking-lever at the time of iiring to prevent recoil of the breech-block, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a breech-frame, a hammer, a breech-block, and a cookingleverconnected with and operating the breechblock, of a spring supported by the breechframe and directly engaged with the cookinglever for restoring the cooking-lever and breech-block to their'normal position, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a breech-frame, a hammer, a breech-block, and a cockinglever, of a duplex-armed spring seated in the breech-frame and having one arm bearing against the latter and the other arm engaged directly with the cockinglever in advance of its pivot, substantially as described. Y

5. In a breech-loading fire-arm, the combination of a breech-frame, a breech-block, a bifurcated cartridge inserter-ejector, upon the two branches of which the cartridge is guided, a hammer, and a cocking-lever which operates the breech-block and the inserter-ejecter and cocks the hammer, substantially as described.v

6. In a breech-loading magazine lire-arm,

tachable barrel carrying a part of the gunstock, which is provided at the end abutting the breech-frame with an internal orifice containing a gun-swab or cleaner having a knob or handle entering a socket in the breechframe, substantially as described.

In testimony' whereof I have aixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. SNEIDER. Witnesses:

WILLIAM II. BERRY, MURRAY HANsoN. 

